100 replies to this topic

[Deb aka Resume Lady]

Modified post: I've removed the url.....

swimerdude87, the true meaning of "jihad" and the way the word has been used in the American press are two entirely different things. A Muslim friend explained this to us a few years back; here's an explanation (exerpt) I found online.

By the means of media, Islam has been given a sinister image in the eye of the public opinion, this notorious image is mainly due to the ignorance and misunderstanding of the media and public. A word which is often heard and associated with the acts of certain individuals, claiming to act in the name of Islam, is the Arabic word: Jihad. Its significance plays an extremely crucial role in the image of Islam. But what does this so widely known word mean?

Jihad has a great significance in the lives of Muslims. Like any language, Arabic has unique words which have a particular meaning which cannot be translated precisely. The best translation known for such a word (Jihad) is the following: a sincere and noticeable effort (for good); an all true and unselfish striving for spiritual good.

Jihad as presented in the Quran and any of the other scriptures implies the striving of spiritual good. This Jihad particularly involves change in one's self and mentality. It may concern the sacrifice of material property, social class and even emotional comfort solely for the salvation and worship of God ALONE. As a result, one who practises Jihad will gain tremendously in the Hereafter*.

The Jihad involves noticeable effort for righteousness. This means that the effort concentrated in the Jihad is a step in the true and ultimate path of Islam (submission); the effort imposed on one's self. Thus Jihad is solely individual, self-centered and self-interested. This effort is only the doing of good for salvation and pardon of God. The Quran points this out in the following verse:

"The day will come when every soul will serve as its own advocate, and every soul will be paid fully for whatever it had done, without the least injustice." (16:111).

" The day will come when each soul will find all the good works it had done brought forth. As for the evil works, it will wish that they were far, far removed. GOD alerts you that you shall reverence Him alone. GOD is Compassionate towards the people. " (3:30).

In respect to the above Quranic verses, God tells the believers that all acts will reflect the soul of their authors. Examples of this Jihad would be to exceed in the sincere act of good deeds (to frequent the mosques that worship God alone more often; to study the scripture in detail, to help the poor and the orphans, to stand for people's right for freedom, be equitable, never bear witness false testimony, frequent and stay in good terms with friends and neighbors, etc.) and the restraining of the doing of sins (to commit adultery, to steel, to lie, to cheat, to insult people, to gossip, etc.);

"As for those who lead a righteous life, male or female, while believing, they enter Paradise; without the slightest injustice." (4:124).

The previous Quranic verse highlights the meaning of Jihad and its role. It has also mentioned the importance of the sincerity when it is practised.

Jihad emphasizes on the individual.

Jihad also includes the striving and establishing of justice. Before one can strive for justice in his/her community, justice must be one of his/her main religious and moral principles.

Jihad may also reflect the war aspects in Islam (Submission). The fighting of a war in the name of justice or Islam, to deter an aggressor , for self defense, and/or to establish justice and freedom to practice religion , would also be considered a Jihad .

...... fighting in the name of God is fighting in the name of justice. But, contrary to many people's interpretation, Jihad is anything but a holy war; the media and public misunderstand this. In the light and essence of Islam and the Quran, there is no war which is holy; this, under any circumstances whatsoever. In fact the whole text of the Quran and the religion of Islam revolves around the concept of peace, not war. To many people's ignorance, Islam is also a word that share the same root of the Arabic word Salaam meaning peace. To Islam, war is unholy, Jihad must mean anything but holy war.

However, there are times, in certain circumstances, when Islam tolerates, permits and sometimes even accepts the practise of war. Islam strongly emphasizes the ideas of justice, freedom and opposition to oppression. There is another condition: fighting for self-defense. War is tolerated in these conditions, but if there is a possibility to avoid war, then this alternative, as long as it is reasonable, must be taken.

[swimerdude87]

Why should that bother anybody?
Did ANY church in our area get built without the help of a central organization, or Rome, or whatever??

Hmmm, why should it bother anybody that Islam teaches conversion or murder. Good question. O and i dont remember the last time that Rome sponsored terrorism but Saudi Arabia, hmm i think 9/11 comes to mind...

[EDF]

Yea Farley babe... they are nice people... but they don't condem their muslim extremist crazies.... no, what they do is "nothing"....and you know what....

bad things happen when good people stand by and do nothing....which is what "the good muslims" do... nothing....

Just because they are nice to you on your street... ask them about 9/11....see what they say....

remember we have some crazies down in Lodi.. and of course they are "all innocent"....even though they violated our immigration laws..preached hate at thhe madrassas in Pakistan.... just like those nice young muslim men who took some planes into the WTC and Pentagon...

but hey... they at least said "good morning" on the way to the airport...or said "thank you" after they gave you the ice cream from their "vending" truck... what a great cover...

No... sorry... I'm worried... and I have a right to be... don't I...?

[swimerdude87]

Resume Lady, did you even look at the website you posted. Please look at the URL, im not even going to open the website that is called alqueda training manual.com. I cant take that kind of web page seriously.

[Deb aka Resume Lady]

"Hmmm, why should it bother anybody that Islam teaches conversion or murder. Good question. "

Islam doesn't teach murder, but some extremists do. Why do you generalize from what the minority of extremists do to the whole group? Perhaps we should ban all Christian churches because some extremist Christians murder abortionists.

[swimerdude87]

YES, EDF, thank you. its good to know that someone is concerned about this. Did anybody by the way here about how the muslims have infiltrated Chicago. they are playing morning prayers over loud speakers at 5 o'clock in the morning. Lets think...where else do they do these kind of things? Saudia Arabia? Iran? Stop the infiltration!!!

[Deb aka Resume Lady]

Resume Lady, did you even look at the website you posted. Please look at the URL, im not even going to open the website that is called alqueda training manual.com. I cant take that kind of web page seriously.

OY! No I didn't! Good catch.... I did a search on line for definition of Jihad, and found that page, which explained it fairly close to the way my friend explained it (didn't look at the rest of the site). I wish I could remember exactly how my friend explained it, and perhaps anyone on this board who is Muslim or understands Islam could explain it better... but the gist of it was that the extremists take a rigid, fundamentalist definition of Jihad, but that the word Jihad itself doesn't mean or promote violence. Therefore, having numerous references to the word in the Koran doesn't mean that the Koran promotes violence. That was the point I was trying to make.

[swimerdude87]

Resume lady, Muslims may not all be "bad" but if you were to honestly ask some of them what they think about the terror asks in Israel, what do you think the response would be. "Good muslims" may not commit crimes but they have their opinions that arent necessary representative of their actions.

[Farley]

YES, EDF, thank you. its good to know that someone is concerned about this. Did anybody by the way here about how the muslims have infiltrated Chicago. they are playing morning prayers over loud speakers at 5 o'clock in the morning. Lets think...where else do they do these kind of things? Saudia Arabia? Iran? Stop the infiltration!!!

WOW it sounds like we don't need to be afraid, but the foreigners surely do. The family across the street from us is from Iran. Last summer they went home to Iran for the summer. They are a mom, dad, daughter, and son. I do not fear them as they are an asset to our neighborhood.

[Farley]

Take an interesting look at a mosque and its architecture and architectual history.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosque

[UncleVinny]

[Farley]

Who are the Muslims?
One billion people from a vast range of races, nationalities and cultures across the globe - from the southern Philippines to Nigeria - are united by their common Islamic faith. About 18% live in the Arab world; the world's largest Muslim community is in Indonesia; substantial parts of Asia and most of Africa are Muslim, while significant minorities are to be found in the Soviet Union, China, North and South America, and Europe.

[funwithflames59]

I feel no development should be allowed in that area until the traffic mayhem is addressed with sucessful traffic calming into the historic district regardless who is doing the devolpment

[BlueStateMom]

Who are the Muslims?
One billion people from a vast range of races, nationalities and cultures across the globe - from the southern Philippines to Nigeria - are united by their common Islamic faith. About 18% live in the Arab world; the world's largest Muslim community is in Indonesia; substantial parts of Asia and most of Africa are Muslim, while significant minorities are to be found in the Soviet Union, China, North and South America, and Europe.

Farley,
Not to be a downer here, but since you bring it up... The southern Philippine island of Mindanao has been terrorized by Muslim extremists for decades. Almost weekly, we receive updates on bombings and terrorist attacks in Jakarta led by Muslim extremists calling themselves Jemaah Islamiyah - the same group that claimed responsibility for the Sept 2004 bombing outside the Australian embassy. You mention Nigeria - this would be the country in which over 10,000 Christians have been killed since the 1999 imposition of the Sharia form of Islamic law. We probably don't want to discuss how women have been treated in Nigeria since Islamic law was imposed there. You also mention the Soviet Union - I don't think we even want to go into the conflict in Chechnya that seems to have no end.
Obviously, there is no one perfect faith. However, those who describe "zenophobia" as "enlightened fear" may have some validity, given what we see going on in the world. I have no doubt the family living across the street from you is wonderful. However, the realities that face us, and the pain suffered by victims of extreme Islam need to be recognized. The way to honor those who have suffered at the hands of extremist Islam is for all of us (including true Muslims of faith) to stand-up and demand an end to it, while welcoming Islam's peaceful followers.

[Farley]

Do Islam and Christianity have different origins?
No. Together with Judaism, they go back to the prophet and patriarch Abraham, and their three prophets are directly descended from his sons Muhammad from the eldest, Ishmael, and Moses and Jesus from Isaac. Abraham established the settlement which today is the city of Makkah, and built the Ka'ba towards which all Muslims turn when they pray.